Kate Jenkins, Ham and Mustard
Max Alexander, Merveille du Jour
Meet the Artists is a new series for The Knitter about knitters who venture beyond the sweater. So far I’ve written about Zandra Rhodes, Freddie Robins, Kate Jenkins in Issue 102. Max Alexander and Celia Pym are coming up, with more artists in knit to follow.
A few years ago when visiting the V&A I noticed that the textile archive was no longer there. The great wooden frames with pull-out drawers and panels containing embroidery samplers, lace and knitting samples had been there as long as I can remember, a familiar touchstone. It was reassuring to see one of the same wooden cabinets – looking rather diminutive in the cavernous space of the Clothworkers’ Centre at Blythe House. One of the original nine historic units has been restored to beyond its former glory. As is often the case the rosy-hued past was not always so glorious. With funding from Coats plc the frame units have been updated with acid-free backing and conservation grade perspex where artefacts were previously
nailed unceremoniously onto wooden boards contributing to the untimely decay of their contents. As a cautionary tale for all nay-sayers Susanne keeps the nails in a jar.
Since writing an article for Rowan Magazine 57 about the Clothworkers’ Centre I’ve been asked to guide a tour. We’ll be going on 5 and 6 March to the Clothworkers in the morning, then on to the Knitting & Stitching Show at Olympia with VIP tickets. The Fashion and Textiles Museum have an exhibition on there as well as all the usual shopping opportunities.
Cost for the day is £80 and if you would like to come with us contact mail@knitrowan.com to book a place
Tour of The Clothworkers’ Centre for Textile and Fashion Study and Conservation and visit to K&S show Olympia ? 5 and 6 March 2015
Moving the stacks takes two
Ancient shoes being prepared for a V&A exhibition
Experiments in mending by one of the curators
This is Dawn Cole at an In the Loop study day at Winchester School of Art. Her performance piece, The Silence of Knitting, is based on the life story of her Great Aunt Clarice Alberta Spratling, a volunteer nurse during WWI. Dawn showed us some slides of her solar plate etchings that make beautiful patterns out of the writing found in Nurse Spratling’s diaries and letters. Then she sat down and began to knit. The audience weren’t sure what to expect, some music perhaps or a narration, but there was only the ‘cacophony of silence’. The trouble with quiet is that you start thinking about what those women must have been going through as they made socks and clothing for the men folk at the front. All those unspoken messages and thoughts being sent to brothers, fathers and husbands, woven into every stitch. The audience felt rather awkward and there was some shuffling in seats. Dawn worked a shamrock lace pattern, and didn’t stop until she had finished a whole pattern repeat.
Men had eyes removed. Reading Between the Lines, Solar plate etching, Dawn Cole
This autumn’s Rowan magazine is out with an article about knitting in WWI by yours truly.
It has been a moving experience looking into the hardships of the period. You can recognise the same generous and stalwart spirits who inhabit the knitting world today.
“When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrows these gave their today.” John Maxwell Edmonds
Welcome to the Craftivist’s Garden. I’m an advisor for this exciting new project by Craftivist Collective with Falmouth University and Arts for Health Cornwall that is about collecting data so that we can prove to policy makers that craft is good for you. Of course we know this already, but you try standing up in the House of Commons and saying that, which is what MP for Penryn and Falmouth Sarah Newton would have to do. We thought she could do with some ammunition in the way of data. We need your help to spread the word, and the crafting before our finale next January. Download the app here.
The project was launched last night in London to great fanfare, some good cake and some lovely people. (Lots of quiet stitching and reflecting went on too as we made flowers for the Craftivist Garden.)
This is the flower that I made (while thinking deep thoughts)
Genevieve of Floss & Mischief was there
Hilary of Craft Blog UK
Sarah says, “If you’re based in the UK, we’d love you to join in and hand-embroider, knit or crochet a flower for our #wellMAKING Craftivists Garden, while reflecting on the importance of wellbeing and what we need in order to flourish as individuals and as a society.”
